Best Practices

NetWork Kansas Empowers Midwest Entrepreneurs

Published Aug 31, 2017
by Pola Firestone

Building a strong entrepreneurial infrastructure results in empowered entrepreneurs who are aware of resources and connected with the ecosystem to scale business, whether they are urban or rural, whether they live on the coasts or in the middle of the country.

NetWork Kansas is at the forefront of breaking down barriers of entrepreneurship for Midwestern business owners by raising the visibility of entrepreneurship, the resources that serve entrepreneurs and their importance to the Kansas economy.

Each year, NetWork Kansas directly connects more than 4,000 Kansas entrepreneurs to the resources, funding and training they need to start and grow their businesses—and supports tens of thousands more through its online presence.

Making resources visible to the community

Recently, NetWork Kansas collaborated with SourceLink to reimagine their online presence. The resulting website better connects startups and existing companies with resources available to improve startup success and business development. The new NetWork Kansas website is at www.NetWorkKansas.com.

According to Steve Radley, CEO of NetWork Kansas, “We had two goals when we began reimagining the website. The first was to simplify the content so entrepreneurs could quickly learn and connect with education, expertise, and economic resources available across the state. The second was to distinguish our flagship partnership, the Entrepreneurship Community Partnership, by creating a separate subpage for easy access. . . We’re thrilled with the new website and will continue to search for ways for entrepreneurs to connect more effectively with partners and communities.”

The website features streamlined navigation, mobile responsiveness and a modern design all so entrepreneurs can readily access resources most needed for their business success. Additionally, the website provides The Resource Navigator® smart database, a comprehensive calendar of business events and a blogging platform to champion entrepreneurial journeys and inspire others to pursue their startup passions.

“The new website is a major win for Kansas entrepreneurs and the 500+ organizations and programs in place to champion their growth,” said Rob Williams, director at SourceLink. “We are proud partners of NetWork Kansas and believe in their work building a supportive climate for job creators and innovators in the state.”

Through the SourceLink tools and processes, NetWork Kansas has built a very powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kansas.

Connecting entrepreneurial ecosystem builders nationwide

When you join SourceLink, you join a nationwide network of thought leaders, ecosystem builders and on-the-ground practitioners. From Seattle to San Juan, SourceLink friends and affiliates are all committed to strengthening local economies, growing opportunities and championing entrepreneurship. Join us—and let us connect you to entrepreneurial ecosystem builders who are helping make entrepreneurship easier for everyone, everywhere.

Pola Firestone is the relationship manager and affiliate liaison for SourceLink. Through her outreach work, she has a window into the challenges of building entrepreneurial ecosystems, and uses that knowledge to help inform new products and solutions to the SourceLink network

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